>If I buy a new version of VFP on ebay, how can I be assured that it is not an $89 Academic Edition vs the $500 full license, if there is no packaging? Is it tied to the serial number?

Whatever its price it should be a full product, and I doubt there's anything special in the product key.

However, if it's an Academic Priced edition it would be improper for someone to sell it to you if they are not a qualified academic reseller and you are not a qualified student/faculty/staff member. See http://www.microsoft.com/education/?ID=AcademicDiscounts.

I suppose you could contact the seller for information and if they sell you the wrong thing you can badmouth them on eBay and turn them in to piracy@microsoft.com.